Thursday, May 27, 2010

Can I try?

My wife's sister was recently out teaching our nephew how to drive and working on developing her hand grip as he buzzed them around the streets of Southern California. At one point in their travels, someone did the craziest, most blatantly illegal, dangerous turn thing right in from of them.

"Oh." Said the nephew. "I didn't know you could do that." As if this kind of driving was a great new revelation that they had forgot to mention in the driver's training manual.

Biting her tongue and wanting to scream, his mom just let him know that, no, you can't.

Sometimes I think that we get our ideas about what is and is not ok for us to say, do, etc. from watching others and their madcap attempts at life. And when those others blast through the rules of polite society and stomp all over any sort of prudent behavior, so many times we will just say, "Oh. I didn't know you could do that."

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About Me

After spending Ten years as a Pastor and Church Planter, James became involved in Law Enforcement and currently serves as a detective and a Chaplain for First Responders in Tucson, Arizona. He is also a board member with the Tucson Refugee Ministry.
Known for connecting with all ages using humor, engaging stories and personal examples, James will inspire you to grow your faith and your family while connecting with your culture and community.
When he is not working, you can find him hanging out with family and friends and hiking some of the local trails.

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What's in a Name?

Since a few have asked, "Why the name, 'Front Porch Fighter' ?", I will take a stab at answering it.

In times past, the predominant feature of most houses was the front porch. It was right out there in front and it used to be a gathering place for people from the neighborhood. Friends could come over and hang out, lovers could swing on the porch swing and moms would entertain with lemonade. The front porch was a place to get to know others and it signified a willingness and a desire to be in community.

The predominant feature on many homes built today is the garage. The garage is a place where you can pull your car in without anyone else having to talk to you or interrupt your schedule as you retreat into your private sanctuary. To me, the garage in front signifies a desire to live my own life and a kind of disconnect from the rest of the world.

While I appreciate some privacy and sanctuary, I feel that all too often, we are disconnected from the rest of the world and have lost a sense of community, which the home styles reflect. So, I am an advocate of the front porch....at least metaphorically speaking.